The present invention refers to a method for producing a glass body with high silicic-acid content by drawing a softened glass mass from an elongated, substantially cylindrical crucible in that SiO2 granules are supplied from above into the crucible, the SiO2 granules are heated to a softening temperature, so that the softened glass mass which comprises a melt surface is formed, the softened glass mass is drawn off via a bottom opening of the crucible so as to form a glass strand, and the glass strand is cut to length to obtain the glass body, wherein due to the supply of the SiO2 granules a bulk heap is formed that covers the melt surface in part while leaving a melt edge, and wherein the melt surface is optically detected.